Transcript Hitler's Rise to Power

Hitler’s Rise to Power
www.educationforum.co.uk
Section A Long Term Factors
• Long-term bitterness
• Deep anger about the First World War and the
Treaty of Versailles created an underlying
bitterness to which Hitler’s viciousness and
expansionism appealed, so they gave him
support.
Ineffective Constitution
• Ineffective Constitution
• Weaknesses in the Constitution crippled the
government. In fact, there were many people
in Germany who wanted a return to
dictatorship. When the crisis came in 1929–
1933 – there was no one who was prepared or
able to fight to stop Hitle
Money
The financial support of wealthy businessmen gave Hitler the money to run his propaganda and election campaigns.
Many industrials bankrolled the Nazis, including allegedly:
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Hjalmar Schacht, Head of the Reichsbank, organised fund-raising parties for Hitler.
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Fritz von Thyssen, the German steel businessman
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Alfred Krupp, the owner of Krupp steel firm
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Emil Kirdorf, the coal businessman
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IG Faben, the German chemicals firm, gave half the funds for the 1933 elections
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The German car firm Opel (a subsidiary of General Motors)
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Schroeder Bank – on Jan. 3, 1933, Reinhard Schroeder met Hitler and asked him to form a government.
And many foreign firms including:
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Henry Ford of Ford Motors. Hitler borrowed passages from Ford's bookThe International Jew to use in Mein
Kampf and had a picture of Ford on the wall of his office.
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Union Banking Corporation, New York (George Bush’s great-grandfather was president of the Corporation)
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WA Harriman and Co., the American shipping and railway company (George Bush’s grandfather was vicepresident)
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Irenee du Pont, head of the American firm General Motors; he advocated the creation of a super-race by
spinal injections to enhance children of ‘pure’ blood.
Propaganda
• Nazi propaganda persuaded the German
masses to believe that the Jews were to blame
and that Hitler was their last hope
• Hitler promised everybody something, so they
supported him.
Attacks on Opponents
• The Stormtroopers attacked Jews and people
who opposed Hitler. Many opponents kept
quiet simply because they were scared of
being murdered – and, if they were, the
judges simply let the Stormtroopers go free
Personal Qualities
• Hitler was a brilliant speaker, and his eyes had
a peculiar power over people. He was a good
organiser and politician. He was a driven,
unstable man, who believed that he had been
called by God to become dictator of Germany
and rule the world. This kept him going when
other people might have given up. His selfbelief persuaded people to believe in him.
Section B: Short Term Causes 1929
onwards
• Economic Depression
• After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the US called in its
loans to Germany, and the German economy
collapsed. The Number of unemployed grew; people
starved on the streets. In the crisis, people wanted
someone to blame, and looked to extreme solutions –
Hitler offered them both, and Nazi success in the
elections grew.
• Germans turned to Nazism because they were
desperate. The number of Nazi seats in the Reichstag
rose from 12 in 1928 to 230 in July 1932.
Recruitment by Hindenburg
• In November 1932 elections the Nazis again failed to get a majority
of seats in the Reichstag. Their share of the vote fell – from 230
seats to only 196. Hitler contemplated suicide. But then he was
rescued by Hindenburg.
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Franz von Papen (a friend of Hindenburg) was Chancellor, but he
could not get enough support in the Reichstag. Hindenburg and
von Papen were having to govern by emergency decree under
Article 48 of the Constitution. They offered Hitler the post of viceChancellor if he promised to support them.
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Hitler refused – he demanded to be made Chancellor. So Von
Papen and Hindenburg took a risk. On 30 January 1933
Hindenburg made Hitler Chancellor. He thought he could control
Hitler – how wrong he was.
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In the end, Hitler did not TAKE power at all – he was given it.
Summary
• Hitler's rise to power was based upon long-term factors
- resentment in the German people, the weakness of
the Weimar system - which he exploited through
propaganda (paid for by his rich, Communist-fearing
backers), the terror of his stormtroopers, and the
brilliance of his speeches.
• During the 'roaring twenties' Germans ignored this
vicious little man with his programme of hatred. But
when the Great Depression ruined their lives, they
voted for him in increasing numbers. Needing
support, and thinking he could control Hitler, President
Hindenburg made the mistake in January 1933 of
giving Hitler the post of Chancellor.